The Framework

THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF ROAD NAVIGATION

Satnav guides. The driver decides.

Road navigation is more than following instructions. Three principles are applied before the journey and three while it is under way.

The six principles

Before the Journey

Worked through in order, then finished

  1. 1 Confirm Correct destination
  2. 2 Plan Understand the route
  3. 3 Familiarise Know what to expect

During the Journey

Continuous, while the vehicle is moving

  1. 4 Long-Range Observation Look ahead
  2. 5 Anticipate & Position Prepare early
  3. 6 Short-Range Observation Confirm the immediate situation

Putting the Six Principles TogetherPutting Them Together

Not six isolated rules. What is confirmed, planned and learned before setting off is what makes observation, anticipation and positioning possible once the journey is under way.

Before the Journey

  1. Confirm
  2. Plan
  3. Familiarise

During the Journey · continuous

  1. Observe Ahead
  2. Anticipate & Position
  3. Observe Close

The three before the journey are worked through in order and finished. The three during it continue for as long as the vehicle is moving, and the driver returns to an earlier one as often as the road requires.

Explore Further

The Six Principles Are Timeless – The Technology Is Not

New apps and satnavs come and go, but they only offer new ways of putting the same six principles into practice.

Official Guidance Supports the Principles of Road Navigation

DVSA standards and THINK! road-safety advice point the same way as the six principles.

Why I Wrote the Book

How a background in quality assurance shaped a preventative, error-reducing approach to road navigation.

The six principles alongside official DVSA and THINK! guidance →

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